Medtech manufactured in Baltimore

Newsletter for April 18, 2024

Today's coverage features an interview with a co-founder of a local medtech company that moved all its manufacturing from California to Baltimore, with help from the LaunchPort accelerator.

Next month is, "Thriving Tech Communities Month" in our 2024 editorial calendar. What does authentic community development look like? Where do technologists and other tech workers find each other these days? Which local meetups are most active and creative in how they connect people? Help us answer those questions in our coverage. Have tips? Email us at [email protected]

— Alanah, Technical.ly lead reporter for Baltimore

This week's newsletter brings a spotlight on the three most senior women leaders in IT at Vanguard. They discuss their career journeys, the mentors who have empowered them and Vanguard’s work to advance women in the information technology field in this Q&A.

Steven Tropello, the emergency medicine doc who cofounded CoapTech, wanted his company to make his cutting-edge medical devices locally.

Last year he began a partnership LaunchPort, a medtech manufacturing accelerator in the Baltimore Peninsula, and it's now paid off. The PUMA-G System, which involves magnetically aligned catheters, is now entirely produced in Baltimore.

➡️ Find out more about Tropello's efforts to get his invention locally made

It's still not easy to be a woman leader in IT, but Vanguard has been working to empower its female workforce. Not an empty claim — the women at the top testify to it.

"Vanguard is very unique from an employee perspective, in that we believe in the significance of balance. It is manifested in just about every aspect of what I experience on a day-to-day basis. We all produce hard and meaningful work that we’re passionate about, but the company supports us as humans, too," said Jennifer Manry, Vanguard head of corporate systems.

➡️ Learn about Manry's and two of her colleagues' career journeys in this sponsored article.

• The 2024 Baltimore Banner Voter Guide, supported by a grant, may give residents the info they need to vote smart in the May 14 primary election. [The Baltimore Banner]

• Learn how Backpack Healthcare is making a difference in youth mental health! Their white paper addresses critical gaps in care accessibility and cultural sensitivity. Download it here: [JHTV]

• Sen. Bernie Sanders and his team visited Morgan State University to explore its Nursing Department and discuss healthcare's future with students. They toured the new MSU Health and Human Services Building, exploring cutting-edge medical training technology. [Morgan State University]

• Business Volunteers Maryland announced its GIVE 2024 Fellows. [Business Volunteers of Maryland/YouTube]

• The latest edition of "Thoughts on Tech & Things" from Mindgrub CTO Jason Perry discusses the release of the Humane Ai Pin, which has received many negative reviews. He also highlights ChatGPT 4 Vision, which allows users to send images for AI-generated prompts. [Jason Perry]